North Las Vegas Justice Court seat on the line

A seat on the bench at North Las Vegas Justice Court is up for grabs, and hearing master and former Army aviation officer Jonathan Cooper and former lone North Las Vegas Municipal Court judge Sean Hoeffgen will be facing off for it on Nov. 5.

“The turnout might be pretty high this year,” Hoeffgen said. Hoeffgen, who has worked as both an attorney in private practice and as a municipal court judge, wants voters to know he is a North Las Vegan who values judicial independence. While he faced an ethics complaint in 2016, Hoeffgen said that going forward, he would make sure to prevent other governmental agencies from exerting power or control on the court.

Cooper, a hearing master who hears protection orders in family court, said he feels his experience has prepared him well for becoming the next justice of the peace in North Las Vegas. Cooper has worked as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney, and he wants voters to know that he has “seen both sides,” which he said gives him a well-rounded background that he’ll bring to the bench.

Hoeffgen said he feels that North Las Vegas Justice Court is operating efficiently, but Cooper said it’s important to get to know the attorneys practicing in front of him to make sure that continuances aren’t being granted without proper reasons, prolonging cases and slowing down the course of justice.

One issue recently tackled head on by the Nevada Supreme Court is bail. In 2020, the court handed down a decision known as the Valdez-Jimenez decision, which stated that prosecutors “must prove by clear and convincing evidence that bail, rather than less restrictive conditions, is necessary to ensure the defendant’s appearance at future court proceedings or to protect the safety of the community.”

Cooper said that the decision has led to “growing pains,” though North Las Vegas Justice Court is “heading in the right direction.” Hoeffgen said he feels that making sure the court is in compliance with the decision is one of the biggest issues facing the justice court, as court must be in session seven days a week to make sure a decision on bail has been made within 48 hours of an arrest. Working as a team of justices is crucial, he said.

Many of the judicial candidates appearing on ballots in November accept donations from the attorneys who may, in the future, practice in front of them. It’s a standard that Cooper said gives him “a little heartburn,” though he does accept these donations. Hoeffgen does not accept donations from attorneys, he said, and is running a “grassroots” campaign.

Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinsonreports on Instagram.